Head-to-head report and the whole lot else to grasp concerning the Djokovic-Alcaraz recreation starting at 12.00 on Sunday, the most recent instalment of a captivating old-vs-mature competition.
Paris is gearing up for the tennis males’s singles showdown between Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, set for 12.00 cet on Sunday at Roland Garros.
When Alcaraz’s semifinal in Paris ended Friday afternoon, prior to Djokovic performed in his later semifinal that evening, the 21-year-old Spaniard used to be requested what it may well be love to take at the 37-year-old Serbian once more.
“With a bit of luck,” Alcaraz stated with a chortle, “the similar as Wimbledon.”
Here’s what else to grasp concerning the males’s tennis singles ultimate
Why does Djokovic vs Alcaraz for the boys’s tennis singles gold topic?
Djokovic is the oldest guy in an Olympic tennis singles ultimate whilst Alcaraz is the youngest.
Djokovic is regarded as via many to be the best males’s tennis participant in historical past, a stance strengthened via statistics comparable to his 24 Grand Slam titles (greater than every other guy) and his 400-plus weeks spent at No. 1 within the scores (greater than any guy or girl).
There may be mainly only one factor lacking from his resume: an Olympic gold.
Earlier than beating Lorenzo Musetti in Paris on Friday, Djokovic were 0-3 within the Summer season Video games semifinals, dropping to the eventual champion every time – Rafael Nadal in Beijing, Andy Murray in London, Alexander Zverev in Tokyo.
Djokovic left the 2008 Olympics with a bronze, however he in reality sought after to strengthen on that now.
“I do know,” Musetti stated, “how a lot it method for (him) to win a gold.”
Alcaraz is the most productive factor going at the moment within the game, having added his contemporary Wimbledon triumph to the one who got here in June on the French Open, which is contested yearly at Roland Garros, the clay-court facility getting used for the Paris Video games’ tennis festival.
In 2022, he was the primary youngster to succeed in No. 1 within the ATP scores and now has 4 Grand Slam titles, the primary guy to win no less than one on clay, grass and difficult courts prior to age 22.
“Alcaraz has confirmed the most productive participant on the planet this present day,” stated Djokovic, who used to be seeded No. 1 on the Olympics after top-ranked Jannik Sinner withdrew on account of tonsillitis.
Alcaraz used to be seeded No. 2, however different avid gamers have a tendency to accept as true with Djokovic’s evaluate.
“It’s no longer a secret that, at the moment,” stated American Tommy Paul, who misplaced to the Spanish big name within the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the Olympics, “Alcaraz is more or less just like the golden usual.”
Why is Djokovic dressed in a grey sleeve on his knee on the Olympics?
Djokovic tore the meniscus in his proper knee all over a fourth-round victory on the French Open on June 3, then had surgical operation in Paris two days later. The general public figured he would want to skip Wimbledon, which began on July 1, and the Olympics.
However, he confirmed up on the All England Membership, dressed in a grey sleeve on his proper knee, and whilst it took him a couple of suits to get going, he sooner or later regarded very similar to himself. Till he took on Alcaraz for the identify.
On the Summer season Video games, there used to be just one fit the place the knee used to be a subject, when he felt ache in the second one set of a victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas within the quarterfinals Thursday evening.
However he installed a variety of paintings along with his physiotherapist between then and his fit in opposition to Musetti, when all used to be OK.
“I believe like I am a special participant than I used to be in Wimbledon. The way in which I transfer. The way in which I’m putting the ball,” stated Djokovic, who eradicated Nadal in the second one around in Paris.
“I believe extra assured about myself and probabilities within the ultimate” on Sunday, he stated.
Is Djokovic or Alcaraz the having a bet favorite for the gold?
Bookies say Alcaraz is in large part favoured to win the boys’s singles ultimate, consistent with Oddschecker, the place he usually is given odds of two/5, whilst Djokovic is given 21/10.
What’s the head-to-head report between Djokovic and Alcaraz?
They have got met a complete of six instances up to now and every guy has gained 3 of the ones suits.
The one time they performed at Court docket Philippe Chatrier used to be within the 2023 French Open semifinals. Djokovic gained that one 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 when Alcaraz succumbed to full-body cramps all over the closing two units.